


Of Secrets and Stars

by Megara Bee (Megara_Bee)



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-26
Updated: 2015-12-26
Packaged: 2018-05-09 10:33:14
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,119
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5536628
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Megara_Bee/pseuds/Megara%20Bee
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cormac Gold loathes Christmas, but when he pulls Belle French's name in the Secret Santa, he thinks this holiday season might prove an exception.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Of Secrets and Stars

Cormac Gold hated everything about this farce: he hated parties, people, and faux Christmas cheer. He hated watching drunk interns grinding beneath mistletoe, the tiny cheeses on sticks, listening to Regina’s angry sobs as she finished her sixth glass of white wine and started to miss her ex, and he even hated the inevitable sneaking away early, because no one ever noticed.

He had no family, no friends, and no Christmas spirit. This was going to be a nightmare.

Or at least, it was until he drew Belle French’s name from the Santa hat. He had to keep on his mask of stone as his favorite of the secretaries grinned up at him.

“Who’d you get?” the Australian asked, her blue eyes sparkling.

“It’s a secret, isn’t it? Or have I totally misunderstood the concept?”

“Oh come on, you can tell me. I’m an elf,” she pointed at her elf ears, which went surprisingly well with her professional blue sweater-dress, belted at the waist and accompanied by tall black boots.

“Miss French, I do think you’re more of a spy.”

She smirked. “Fine, Mr. Gold. Don’t tell me. I already know who has you,” she said turning on her heel with more sass and charm than Cormac possessed in his little finger.

“Wait, who is it? It’s not Chandra from accounting, is it? Oh God, not Bob the smelly intern.”

“I’m not telling,” she said, opening the door to his office. “I’ll be back in half an hour to do dictation for the Schwartzbaum account.”

“Perhaps I’ll ask Ariel instead. Or Ashley.” The senior partners had a small secretary pool, but it was hardly a secret that he preferred Belle to the others.

Belle looked at him with eyebrows raised. “Please. As I recall, you once likened Ariel’s typing to that of a dying fish, and Ashley cries just looking at you. Thirty minutes.”

He tried not to smile as she left the office, but couldn’t help it. That little spitfire had won him over in her first week at Mills, Gold, and Mills, and the only upside to being forced into this year’s gift exchange was the opportunity to find something wonderful for Belle. Perhaps the right gift might win him a kiss on the cheek.

 

 

“No, absolutely not,” Gold said, taking another drink of scotch. His manservant Dove stood by the fire, sorting through bags from every designer shop and boutique in town. He pulled out a red cashmere sweater, and Gold gagged. “Not everything has to be cashmere, Dove. Sure it’s soft, but this isn’t 2002 and I’m not her weird uncle.”

Dove reached down and pulled up a black satin nightgown.

Gold nearly spat his drink. “Enough! Take it all back, you overgrown cupid. I’ll figure something else out. By myself.”

The tall man nodded, gathered up the bags, and left.

Gold sat for a long time, thinking, drinking, and compiling a list of all the things he knew about the petite ray of sunshine whose desk sat just down the hall from his office.

She was brilliant, of course, and beautiful. She had a wicked sense of humor, and he delighted in baiting her in order to provoke that sharp tongue. They had bonded over being ex-pats, and she often invited him out to dinner with her little circle of friends. He’d never gone.

High-powered lawyers were not supposed to befriend beautiful secretaries, especially not those with twinkling blue eyes and dimples. Belle was so lovely…

He could not show her too much favoritism. The Mills sisters watched him like hawks, always looking to exploit weakness. And Belle… well, she was quickly becoming a dangerous weakness.

He finished off the glass and decided to turn in. He had one week to figure out what to get her. And under the anonymity of Secret Santa, perhaps… He’d get her something she would love. Something to show her how much she meant to him, without actually confessing how much she meant to him…

 

 

“Okay, everybody have their presents?”

Belle did a quick circle around the room, making sure everyone had a package in their hands, even the people snogging in the corner. She was in full-on elf gear, jingly shoes and all, and God help him, Gold found her delightful. It took effort to keep himself from smiling at her openly.

“Great! Now open, and then you have three chances to guess your Santa! Happy hunting!”

Mr. Gold looked down at the atrociously wrapped bundle in his hands. His Santa had chosen reflective golden paper, perhaps as a pun, and the stuff crinkled at the slightest motion. With a sigh he pulled at the tape, one hand reaching inside the wrapping paper to clutch at the navy fabric inside.

A sweater. He let the paper fall to the floor and held the thing up to his chest. It was definitely handmade, a shallow V-neck (the style he preferred), and the navy color was subtle but attractive. Unless he was very much out of touch, it was lambswool.

He draped it over his arm and looked around. People were so absorbed in their gifts he could sneak off and they wouldn’t even notice. He started to back away.

“Belle, you haven’t opened your gift!”

Ashley’s grating voice drew Gold’s attention.

“Oh, I hate opening gifts in front people.”

“But you organized all this! Here, open it.”

Gold turned, lingering at the edge of the crowd.

“Fine, fine. Hand it over.” She was blushing already, her hasty fingers plucking at the drawstring. He watched as her eyes opened, her jaw dropping in shock.

“What is it?”

“It’s a… a telescope.”

“Huh? Oh look, there’s a note. Read it Belle!”

Belle nodded, pulling the note from the box. Her eyes flicked to his face and his stomach dropped. It was over the top – what was he thinking? The telescope had already given him away, the note was… Oh Lord.

Her eyes skimmed it and her blush deepened.

“Well, what does it say?”

Belle tried to shove it in her pocket, but the nosy Ashley ripped it from her hand.

“ _Doubt thou the stars are fire,_  
_Doubt that the sun doth move,_  
_Doubt truth to be a liar,_  
_But never doubt I love._    
To Belle, whose eyes make the stars shine with envy.”

There was an unfortunate hush as those close enough to hear realized the intimacy inherent in the note, as if Belle’s frantic attempts to get it back weren’t obvious enough. She finally grabbed it back, hastily tucking it into her dress. She set the telescope under the tree, brushed off Ashley’s apologies, and turned back towards the corner where Gold, _her boss_ , had been standing.

It was empty. He was gone.

 

 

Gold reached the garage before he realized his keys were not in his jacket pocket. He scowled. He’d have to go back to his office.

Fine, it would be fine. As long as the elevator doors didn’t open on 11, he could get to his office on 12, grab his keys, and be gone. The elevator ride was excruciating, but he made it.

He had just reached his office door when it swung open.

It was Belle.

She gasped. “Oh! There you are. I thought you’d left.”

“Sorry to disappoint,” he growled, pushing past her. Car keys. Show no emotion. Get out.

“Thank you for my telescope,” she said, closing his office door and leaning back against it.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about, Dearie.”

“Don’t you Dearie me!” She stepped forward and he retreated, taking another step behind his enormous desk. “We are far beyond that, Mr. Gold.”

“I am not your Secret Santa, but thank you for the sweater.”

“How did you know?”

“It’s my favorite color, and I saw you hiding knitting needles in your purse.”

“So I guess we got each oth-”

“I’m not your S-”

“Cut the bullshit, Cormac.”

Gold flinched as she backed him into his chair.

“How do you know my first name?”

“Admit you bought me the telescope.”

“Never.”

She stepped forward again, until she was standing between his spread knees. “I’m not Ophelia, you know. And Hamlet was a jerk.”

“He was romantic and misunderstood.”

She nearly gagged, grabbing his tie and pulling him up onto his feet. He had never been this close to her before; every breath was full of her scent. Without her trademark heels, she was much shorter than him, and he had to look down to see her near-furious expression.

“We may disagree about Hamlet, but I think those adjectives apply to you, too.”

“Romantic? Me? Bahh.”

“It was over a year ago, wasn’t it, when I told you about my childhood dream of being an astronomer? How I wanted to study the stars, but my father didn’t think that it was an appropriate field for his little princess. How I used to hide star charts beneath my mattress.”

“I, uh… I vaguely recall… something…”

She tugged his tie again, pulling his face down towards hers. Before he could say anything further to dig his own grave, she was kissing him. It was better than anything he could have dreamed up in his loneliest fantasy.

He returned her kiss, his arms wrapping around her back to hold her close. He might never get another opportunity like this and, God dammit, he was going to take advantage of her momentary stupidity to fuel the rest of his miserable life.

Her hands wound into his hair and she moaned – _moaned_ – against his lips. He felt himself growling in response, lowering his head to scrape his teeth across her neck. She gasped and leaned in. After a moment she grew impatient and used her hands in his hair to tug his head back into kissing range, immediately drawing his lower lip between her teeth for a playful bite. Their kisses grew more passionate until Belle’s tongue swept across his lips, asking for entry.

How could he refuse?

Gold had never imagined that she would be so assertive, but then again, he had a habit of underestimating her, and it suited him just fine, the way she slid her tongue against his, seeking out the places in his mouth that had his hips bucking.

When his lips started to tingle, he started to get frustrated. Reaching down, he locked his arms beneath her rear and lifted her onto his desk. Her cry of surprise pulled her away from his mouth, and each took a moment to catch their breath. Gold pressed his forehead to hers, stepping between her open knees, and Belle brought her hands down to clutch his lapels.

“If this is a thank you for the telescope,” he whispered, “I think you might have gone too far.”

She grinned, and it was luminous. “So it was you. You admit it.”

“Of course it was me. Who else would be stupid enough to attach a love poem to an anonymous gift?”

“I thought perhaps Santa was rewarding me for being a very, very good girl this year.”

“I’m pretty sure snogging your boss a few days before Christmas puts us both on the naughty list.”

“Is that what you think this is? Just some harmless snogging?”

He paused, then shrugged.

Belle just grinned. “You stupid, hopeless idiot. Come here and let me kiss some sense into you,” she said, pulling once more on his tie.

“So it’s… this is…?”

“I like you, Mr. Gold. Have done for a long time. Can I presume you, too…?”

“I am most smitten with you, yes. Since almost the moment you arrived.”

“Well then, we’re both fools for waiting this long. Kiss me?”

“Gladly,” he said, dipping his head once more to press his lips to hers. Kissing while smiling proved to be a little difficult, but joyous none the less. Belle’s hands slipped around his middle and pulled him close, her palms siding down over his arse.

He made a sound almost like a squeak.

“Miss French, are you an ass man?”

“Call me Belle.”

“Hmm, I don’t know, that’s so personal…”

She gave his cheeks a squeeze. “Call me Belle. You never say it, and since I just had my tongue in your mouth, I think I’ve earned it.”

He grinned, and kissed her cheek, dragging his lips down to her neck. “Miss French… The beautiful, exquisite, clever…” He punctuated each word with a kiss. “Radiant, witty, cumbersome…”

“Cumbersome?” She laughed, squeezing his hips with her thighs.

“Only a little. Perhaps irksome would be better.”

“Says the king of stubborn pride!”

He nipped her neck. “I’ll punish you for that.”

“Ooh,” she purred, “don’t make promises you don’t intend to keep.”

He pulled back to make eye contact, cupping her jaw in one hand. “Perhaps we should discuss where this is going before we go any further.”

“Tonight, or in the long run?”

“Both.”

“Well, tonight I’m hoping to reach an incredible orgasm with your cock buried deep inside me.”

He groaned, dropping his forehead to hers and squeezing the desk with his free hand.

“And in the long term,” she said, trailing off.

“…Yes?”

“What do you want long term?”

He opened his eyes to see her looking at him anxiously, her lower lip pressed between her teeth. He struggled to form the words, and her nervousness seemed to grow each minute. “I… I want…”

“…Yes?”

“I want you, Belle. I want you in whatever capacity you will have me.”

She smiled, breathless laughter bubbling from her chest. “And if I want you, too?”

“Then I’m yours, heart, body, and soul.”

She lifted one hand to stroke through his hair, her thumb caressing his cheek. “Heart, body, and soul. Noble words for a first date.”

“Oh God, is that what this is? A _date_?”

“I think so.”

“Are we… dating?”

“What else would you call it?”

“I don’t know,” he said. “A professional complication? Ugh, let’s just deal with this after Christmas, sweetheart.” He stroked her cheek, and she blushed at the term of endearment.

“I agree. But in the meantime,” she said, tipping her head up to brush her lips across his.

He let his eyes flutter closed as she kissed him, her lips filling him with the most wonderful warmth. He leaned forward, laying Belle back across the desk. She gripped his jacket, giggling even as she worked the suit off his shoulders.

He hooked his fingers under the hem of her dress and pulled up. Belle wriggled, trying to accommodate his maneuvers, while still trying to get his jacket off. It hooked on his elbows, and her dress was pinned beneath her shoulders. Belle pulled her lips from his.

“This isn’t gonna work.” She sat up and pulled her own dress off, tossing it behind her. “It’s a good thing you keep your office so warm,” she said, unbuttoning his shirt while he stared at her brassiere.

He chuckled. “And why do you think that is?”

She looked at him quizzically, removing all his upper layers in one swift tug. “I always assumed that’s how you preferred it.”

“It has more to do with the petite Australian who complained any time the temperature dropped below 65 degrees.”

“Oh,” she said, blushing.

“It does seem to be very beneficial, though, doesn’t it,” he smirked, sliding his arms around her waist as he bent his head to kiss her collarbone. He sucked at the skin there, promising to leave a mark. Belle reached between them, undoing his belt and yanking it free. Within seconds she had the buttons open, her hand cupping him through his briefs.

He growled, biting her clavicle. “Oh fucking hell, Jesus, Mary and Joseph,” he said, squeezing her close. She wrapped her free arm around his shoulders, returning the embrace while continuing to palm his cock.

“What a foul mouth in this Holy season,” she purred.

“If you keep that up, I won’t last, love.”

“Who says I need you to last?”

“I haven’t even seen your breasts,” he whispered, taking her earlobe between his teeth.

“Is that a priority?”

“Good lord, Belle! Surely you’ve caught me staring. I’m a decided old pervert when it comes to you.”

“Well then, I suppose one of us should take off my bra.”

She grinned as he moaned, his hands running up to the clasp. With a few simple snaps the fabric was free, and Belle pulled it off, relinquishing it to join her dress.

She couldn’t help blushing at the look on Gold’s face. He brought both hands around to cup her breasts, swiping his thumbs across her nipples.

“Must be cold in here,” he whispered as they hardened beneath his touch.

“No, it isn’t,” she said, resting her hands on his hips. She watched his face as he explored what was apparently his favorite part of her body, fingers stroking over her sensitive flesh, tweaking the peaks of her nipples. He lowered his head to join his hands, dragging his nose and lips across her chest. He kissed a path from side to side, curving down to wrap his lips around one of the hardened buds. She moaned, fingers tightening on his sides.

He suckled for a long moment, scraped his teeth across the nipple, and switched to the other side, repeating the pattern.

After a few repetitions Belle grew frustrated, whining. Cormac lifted his head, smiling wider than she’d ever seen before. He kissed her, leaning her once more back over the desk. He stopped the kiss, breaking it with a soft pop, and immediately buried his head in her neck, kissing a path down over her chest and stomach. She giggled as he reached her belly button, body shaking.

“That tickles!” she squealed, hands reaching instinctively for his hair. He growled as he reached her underwear, the vibrations electric through the fabric. Belle sighed as he pressed his face to her core. He kissed her through the panties, and her hips bucked.

“You’re so wet, my love,” he whispered, nosing at her vulva. Drawing the red cloth to the side, he dragged his tongue between her folds. She gasped.

“Please! Take them off,” she begged, nails scratching against his scalp.

“As my lady wishes.” He hooked his fingers into her underwear and tugged them down, which proved slightly difficult as the secretary would not let go of his hair. As soon as he could he buried his head between her thighs, inhaling the heady smell of her arousal. His hands stroked along her legs, guiding her to hook her knees over his shoulders.

Gold began by pressing tender kisses all along her vulva, denying her the firmer touch she craved. When he finally pressed his tongue to her clit, she yelped.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes! Oh yes, that’s just so good,” she said, stroking one hand through his hair.

“Shall I continue?” he asked, smirking.

“Yes! Please!”

He returned to his task, licking her clit in long, flat strokes. His hands ran up and down the outside of her thighs. As he broadened his exploration, tracing her labia and circling her entrance, Gold made note of the places that had her clutching at his greying hair. He took extra care to recall the spots that got both a physical and vocal reaction; her gasps and cries proved to be the sweetest music, far beyond any fantasy.

He began to alternate between suckling at her clit and swirling his tongue inside her. It was his third or fourth time probing her entrance when she stopped him.

“Wait! Oh God, I’m close.”

“Let go, sweetheart.”

“Wha? No, no, I want you in me. Now.”

“You can come more than once you know,” he said, straightening, trying not to wince as his knee spasmed.

“I want… I want to wait. I want you in me. Please.”

“Of course,” he said, sliding one arm around her back to help her sit up. “Then perhaps I can make a request as well?”

She grinned. “Anything, Cormac. Well, anything not too weird.”

“What? Oh, God no. I just want… I want to kiss you, when… when…”

“When you enter me,” she said, biting back a smile at his propriety.

“Yes. Perhaps I’m old fashioned, but I think that that moment, the moment when we’re joined… It’s very intimate.”

“It should feel like magic.”

He smiled. “Yes. That’s exactly what it should feel like.” They shared a smile, a beautiful and intimate moment. “I think I have a prophylactic here somewhere…”

“I’m on birth control. Unless you have any STIs I should know about?”

“No, none. I haven’t done this in a very, _very_ long time.”

“Me either,” she grinned.

Belle widened her legs as far as she could, her arms encircling Cormac’s neck. He stepped close, dropping his boxers to free his cock. Belle glanced down, and her jaw dropped for just a moment.

“What?”

“Nothing! Oh, it’s just… It looks bigger than it felt.” She blushed. Gold tried to hide a prideful smile as he pressed his forehead to hers, one hand around her back as the other lined them up.

“Are you ready?” he asked, searching her eyes for any trace of revulsion, uncertainty, or disgust. He found just joy and affection beaming back at him.

“Yes, very.”

Slowly he began to tip his head, keeping his eyes locked on hers. Their lips met for a tender kiss, and Gold pressed his hips forward, his cock pushing into Belle. He gasped and her lips chased his, her eyes falling shut as he rocked, drawing slowly out of her to press in again. After a few long thrusts, he was sheathed.

He brought his second hand up to cup her jaw, dragging his lips away and waiting for her eyes to find his before he whispered, “Okay?”

She nodded. Her breaths seemed ragged. Moving her arms down to wrap around his shoulders, she lay her head in the crook of his neck. “Perfect,” she whispered, pressing little kisses to the skin within her reach.

Cormac held her close and let his own head fall onto her shoulder. He bit down gently as his hips started to move, beginning with slow thrusts and even slower withdrawals. Belle moaned softly, her hands rubbing over his back. As he began to speed up, her nails scratched lightly over his skin. He lifted his head, lips finding her temple and pressing a soft kiss there. His eyes fell shut as the smell of her filled his nostrils.

It wasn’t terribly long before the snapping of Gold’s hips became unsatisfying to both of them. Belle whimpered against his neck. Gold pulled back slightly, nudging Belle’s jaw with his nose until he could see her eyes.

“I need something else.”

“Me too,” she said, nodding.

“Lay back?”

“Okay.”

Gold kept one hand on her spine, helping to lower her down. Belle wriggled to get comfortable.

“Is this alright, sweetheart?”

“Mhmm, but I’d like to be touching or holding you somehow. I feel far away.”

Gold grinned, leaning over to smile at her. “Then I must not be doing this right.” He slid his hands down her sides to her hips, playfully tugging her closer and eliciting a giggle. He found a hold at the top of her thighs, and Belle reached down to hold his forearms. She smiled up at him, fingers playing over the sensitive skin on the inside of his wrists.

“I’m ready when you are.”

“Okay. Erm… what do you prefer? Shall I be slow and deliberate, or-”

“Cormac, we’re fucking in your office while the rest of the firm parties on downstairs. Eventually, someone might come looking for me. I say let’s take it hard and fast and messy, and leave deliberation for another time, hmm? Perhaps in a few hours, in one of our beds?”

“Oh fuck.” She was so sage, his Belle. Heeding her advice, he began a rhythm that was anything but what his Belle deserved. She deserved tenderness and multiple orgasms, to have each and every erogenous zone explored one by one, not this hard and punishing pace that filled his office with the sound of flesh on flesh.

And yet Belle was crying out, presumably with pleasure. Her eyes fell shut, her grip on his arm tightened, and her sweet moans were downright pornographic. Each breathy cry was uttered in time to his thrusts.

Cormac was also vocal; the feeling of being enveloped in her produced various groans and grunts, punctuated periodically by vulgar curses. When Belle clenched around him experimentally, his eyes flew open. He gasped and hunched over, his rhythm broken.

She laughed, a radiant smile across her face. “Have I told you how handsome you are lately?”

Gold was finding it hard to breathe. “Are you making fun of me, Miss French?” He bucked his hips, relishing the sound his balls made against her ass and the way her face contorted in pleasure.

“No, sir!” she cried, biting her lower lip. He felt her flex her legs, locking her ankles behind him. “I would never be so insolent.”

“And what about my sweating, growling face is pleasing you, exactly?” Gold resumed moving, but at a slower rhythm.

“Oh, let me count the ways! I love your lips. They’re so… oh! So expressive. I can always read your mood in your lips, which is only half the reason I usually find myself staring… Oh Christ!” She was forced to relinquish one of his arms as he pressed his thumb to her clit. She grabbed one of her breasts, squeezing gently. “I love your eyes, your dark, brooding eyes. And you’re looking at me like I’m something special, like I have the power to make or break you. It’s intoxicating.”

It was Cormac’s turn to laugh, rubbing her clit back and forth for a moment before pulling his hand away. “Listen to me, little lamb. You are very special, and if you clench around me again you certainly will break me. And intoxicating? You are the most divine drug I have ever experienced. Now, shall we keep talking, or would you like to be found in flagrante delicto?”

Belle hummed, removing her other hand from his arm and touching her clit. “I haven’t nearly finished my list, but I suppose we oughtn’t be caught. Not today. Ready?”

“Ready.” With no further ado, Cormac returned to the punishing rhythm of before. He adjusted his grip on Belle’s hips, enabling him to be more firm in his movements. There were no soft words for this act performed so rapidly, with so little tenderness. All the words that popped into his head were profane, words that appeared frequently in the titles on free porn websites.

For all its savagery, Belle certainly seemed to enjoy it. Her cries had become constant and as vulgar as his own; one hand was busy at the apex of her folds, the other tightly pinching her nipple. Her eyes had fallen shut and her face was flushed with exertion. She was divine.

“Fuck fuck Fu-uuuck! I’m coming! Cormac, yes! Yes!” She continued to cry out, alternating between his name and affirmations. Her muscles clenched around his cock and it was Cormac’s turn to swear.

“Oh fucking hell,” he groaned, slowing his pace somewhat. Her cunt squeezed him with every thrust, and she was so hot, so deliciously hot and wet… Gold fell forward onto his hands, head bowing as he came. A few last hard strokes and he spilled himself inside her.

He continued to thrust gently for a moment, before his knee spasmed again, threatening to give out. He stepped back, regretting the moment his cock left Belle’s embrace, and collapsed into his chair. Belle sat up, panting heavily, and moved as if to stand.

“Ow, my legs are asleep. Owch! Pins and needles!” She hopped over to him, wobbling.

Gold tapped his good leg and Belle perched on his thigh, swinging her legs over his lap. She wrapped her arms around his neck and Gold returned the gesture, winding his own around her middle.

“Is your leg okay, Mr. Gold?”

“Aye, it’ll be fine. I’m not used to so much exertion.” He tipped his head, kissing her wrist. “Tell me lass, do you always like it so… so…”

“Rough?” Belle bit her lower lip. “Not always. Hot and messy can be fun, can’t it? Didn’t you enjoy yourself?”

Gold nearly laughed. “Uh, yes, I think that should be fairly obvious. Did you? Was that alright?”

“Obviously,” she said, parroting him with a grin.

For a moment they just looked at one another in bliss, until Gold spoke.

“Would it be too forward of me to suggest that we blow this proverbial Popsicle stand and go back to my place?”

Belle smiled at his American bravado. “I’d like that.” Her smile was broken by a wince.

“Your legs, dear?”

She nodded. Gold ran his hand down her calves, fingers massaging the mistreated muscles. Belle hissed at the touch, but nodded at him to keep going.

“Thank you. That’s a little better.”

“We’d better get dressed and get out of here. Wouldn’t want to run into Santa or any of the drunk little elves, would we?”

“I suppose not.” Belle stood, still a little shaky, and began to dress. Gold slid his leg into his boxers and reached for his shirt. Layer by layer they dressed, until both were ready. Gold grabbed his keys from the floor (where they had fallen, no doubt tossed asunder by rowdy lovemaking) and tried to bite back his triumphant grin.

“Your purse is downstairs I take it?”

“Indeed. I’ll meet you in the garage.”

“Excellent. Don’t leave me waiting, Dearie.” Gold bent his head for a kiss, only for his lips to collide with her palm.

“Cheeky boy. I’ll punish you for that,” she said, moving her hand to cup his chin. She drew his face in and kissed him, her teeth grazing his lower lip. He moaned as she pulled away.

“Five minutes.”

“Four. And here,” she said, slipping something into his pocket. “I won’t need them.”

Belle left first, hurrying towards the stairs. He watched her tuck her hair behind her ears, her jingly shoes as ridiculous as ever.

Gold slipped his hand into his pocket. Soft and damp, he withdrew a small piece of fabric. Pulling them into his dim office light, he saw the crimson color and recognized them immediately.

Belle’s panties.

He stuck them back in his pocket and clicked off the lights. He slammed the door in his haste as he nearly ran for the elevator banks.

Thank God for Christmas. Thank God for Secret Santa. And thank God for beautiful, tiny, brilliant, Australian secretaries.  

 

**Author's Note:**

> I was hoping to have this done earlier, but it's still Christmas where I live, so it still counts! Happy holidays, and thank you for reading!


End file.
